


March 10th, 1964

by SmileAndASong



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616
Genre: Anniversary, Avengers Vol. 1 (1963), Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22142938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileAndASong/pseuds/SmileAndASong
Summary: There’s a cake in the fridge. It’s beautiful, at least three layers high, and with an intricate red, white, and blue frosting pattern that perfectly emulates a certain shield. It’s very obvious that it’s for Steve. But why?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 3
Kudos: 113
Collections: 2019 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange





	March 10th, 1964

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cap Iron Man Community](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cap+Iron+Man+Community).



> This is a fill for the community prompt request: "steve discovers that tony has been celebrating the anniversary of the day the avengers met cap all these years ago!"
> 
> For the sake of simplicity, I decided to have the date that Steve was found be March 10th, 1964, which is the day that Avengers #4 was published. I more or less make up my own timeline of events for this fic. It's technically set in 1971 for no reason other than saving myself a headache in figuring out a timeline canon that worked and also because I felt like envisioning a 1970's Stony aesthetic.
> 
> Also, I'm pretending all of the events of Avengers #4 happen over the course of one day instead of two.
> 
> Fic is unbeta'd and was written somewhat quickly on a flight with no wifi, so any mistakes are my own.
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read. I hope everyone enjoys the fic, but especially the anonymous shipper who requested this prompt : )

There’s a cake in the fridge. It’s beautiful, at least three layers high, and with an intricate red, white, and blue frosting pattern that perfectly emulates a certain shield. It’s very obvious that it’s for Steve. But why?

Now desserts are far from uncommon to find in the fridge at Avengers Mansion. Jarvis did serve the most wonderful treats after dinner each night, yes, but for whatever reason, cake remains something for celebrations exclusively. Birthdays, parties, anniversaries, the usual thing. The cake is not just here on a whim — there’s some bigger purpose for it. But what could it be?  
It’s not his birthday — that’s still four months away — nor is it near any of the other Avengers’ birthdays. The next one is Hank’s, and while the two of them were good friends, Steve sincerely doubts that Hank wants a cake based on his likeness. So not that.

Jan, the unofficial planner of any and all Mansion parties, didn’t mention anything about a shindig today. And she usually had the decency to give Steve ample notice to put together, in her words, “an outfit that isn’t thirty years out of style”. So it couldn’t be that either.

That leaves an anniversary. His breath stills and his eyes go wide. Oh god, did he forget? Panicking, he slams the fridge door shut and scans the calendar hanging on the front of it. He heaves out a relieved sigh when he sees the date — the tenth, aka, _not_ his anniversary with Tony. 

But even so, it’s only been four months since he and Tony started dating. Not exactly a milestone mark worthy of celebrating, especially when they didn’t do anything for months two and three.

So…why cake?

“Looking for something, Captain?” Jarvis asks as he enters the kitchen, carrying assorted dishes to the sink.

“Uh, no, just thirsty.” Steve reaches for the carton of milk that he’d been after in the first place. He pours a glass and returns the carton once he’s done, eying that mysterious cake again. “Jarvis, can I ask you kind of a strange question?”

“No such thing as a strange question, sir,” Jarvis says. "But yes, of course you may.”"

“Do you know anything about the cake in the fridge?” Steve inquires.

“Ah, you mean the anniversary cake!” Jarvis looks past Steve and into the fridge. “Yes, I baked it this morning. Red velvet, cream-cheese frosting, and a touch of food coloring for aesthetics. Would you like me to cut you a slice?”

Steve’s brows knit together. “Anniversary cake?” 

Is he missing something? _Are_ four month anniversaries actually a significant milestone?

Jarvis nods. “Yes, I make it every year for Mr. Stark and, uh, you.” He looks at Steve dubiously. “Are you alright, Captain? You’re acting like this is the first time you’re learning of this.”

Because it _is_ the first time he’s learning of this. And he still doesn’t even know what ‘it’ is.

Not wanting to alarm poor Jarvis anymore, Steve feigns a smile. “Oh, right! The date must’ve snuck up on me. Do me a favor, don’t let Tony know about my little slip-up?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sir.” Jarvis smiles back, but Steve senses that his is also forced. Honest old Cap never was a good liar. “Now, would you like a slice to go with your milk?”

“No, thank you, I couldn’t possibly cut the cake without Tony,” Steve declines. “Speaking of which, have you seen him?”

“Mr. Stark is in his office,” Jarvis says. “The door is open, so I’m sure company would be welcomed, especially on such a special day.”

“Yes, the most special!” At least, Steve’s assuming it is. 

Finishing up his milk, he thanks Jarvis and slips out of the kitchen, swiftly making his way down to Tony’s office. True to Jarvis’ word, the door is open, but Steve doesn’t immediately enter. He lingers in the hallway, concealed by the dark shadows which allow him to watch his boyfriend for a moment. 

Tony is sitting at his desk, nothing out of the ordinary, except for the fact that he doesn’t look stressed. He’s not talking on his phone, nor is it ringing incessantly. He’s writing something slowly and delicately, a stark contrast from the rapid, scribbly way he usually writes for work-related papers. 

And whatever he’s writing is making him smile in a coy and cute fashion, like a lovestruck teenager doodling their crush’s name on a notebook. Steve loves when Tony smiles at him, but there’s something extra special about the way Tony smiles when he’s alone. Shields down and out of his armor, both the literal and the figurative.

Steve could easily stand in the doorway and watch the sight all day, completely content. He's sorely tempting to do so, but forces himself to step forward and enter. “Hey, Tones.”

Tony jumps a little at the sound of Steve’s voice, his hands immediately sliding over to cover whatever he’d been writing. “Hi, Steve! Uh, what are you doing here? I thought you and Clint were going to do some combat practice in the gym?”

“Already did. But it’s Clint, meaning I had him pinned in a whopping five minutes,” Steve says, chuckling.

Tony smirks. “You let him linger. Wanted make him think he had a chance?”

“I was feeling benevolent this morning, what can I say?” Steve moves closer and tries to catch a glance at what Tony’s hiding. “What are you working on?”

“Nothing important. Just Stark Industries stuff,” Tony says, and even though Steve might be an awful liar, Tony is an even worse one. Well, in this moment, at least.

But Steve can’t exactly blame him. Tony’s a genius, so of course he knows that Steve forgot all about their special day. Whatever it is. The temptation to lie and play it off like he’s just as prepared for today as Tony is crosses his mind, but it just feels wrong. Steve knows he has to come clean.

Heaving out a sigh, Steve slumps his shoulders and lowers his head in shame. “I’m sorry, Tony.”

“Sorry?” Tony asks, sounding confused. “For what?”

“It’s alright, you don’t have to play dumb. You have every right to be upset with me.” Steve clenches his jaw and looks up, forcing himself to meet Tony’s brilliant blues. “Today is our special day, and I have no idea what it is.”

Steve’s prepared for a multitude of different reactions — tears, cussing, things being thrown at him. He’ll take it all, and deservedly so.

What he’s not prepared for is Tony to smile at him, sweetly, and with a look of sheer adoration in his eye. “You’re far too humble, you know that? If I had a second birthday, aka, another excuse for presents and everyone to fawn over me, I’d take full advantage of it.”

Steve frowns. He opens his mouth to speak, but Tony hands over what he’s been hiding — what he’d been smiling at — before Steve can get a word out. It’s a folded piece of paper with Steve’s name on it.

Taking it slowly, Steve unfolds it and something falls out of it: a photograph. And the second he glances at it, his eyes widen and he gasps. 

It’s a photo he remembers taking all too well, on this very day, seven years prior. It was the first photo he’d taken in decades, and with the people that would become his team. His family. His home. It’s been cropped from the larger, original photo so it’s only him and Tony, or rather, him Shellhead, the armored Avenger’s arm securely wrapped around his shoulder. There’s a Sharpie-red heart drawn around the two of them, and when Steve flips it over, he finds a small note written in that same bright red ink:

__

_’03/10/64_

_The greatest day of my life._

_— TS xoxo_

Steve’s eyes well up with tears and his hand trembles as he stares at the photo. As he stares, he sees not only the frozen moment in time, but seven years worth of memories. Beautiful, wonderful memories, all starting on this exact day, all starting with Tony. 

He hears Tony stand up and walk around his desk, and then he feels Tony's lanky arms slide around him in an intimate embrace. 

“Happy anniversary, Winghead," Tony says softly against his ear.

"Thank you..." Steve chokes out a small sob and clings to him. “I can’t believe I forgot about it, left it unnoticed for all of these years," He laments, his voice sounding guilty. "But you, you’ve been celebrating it, celebrating me on this day for years, and I didn’t even notice…”

“Hey, it’s alright, it’s—“ Tony pauses. “—wait, how did you know I’ve been celebrating this day every year?”

“I saw the cake in the fridge.” Steve wipes away the few years in his eyes, his lips curling up into a fond smile. “And I asked Jarvis, and he told me that he makes one for you every year.”

“Outed by the butler, classic.” Tony’s cheeks flush red and he looks down at his well-polished loafers. “I’m sorry, you probably think it’s strange that I celebrate this without you. And for seven years, too. I wanted to invite you, but there was the whole secret identity thing for awhile, and then I was worried you’d think it was super weird since we weren’t dating, so I was planning on telling you this yea-“

“Tony,” Steve cuts him off and he grips his jaw, tilting his head so their eyes meet. “This is easily the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. Thank you. I want to celebrate this with you. Celebrate us. And next year, I promise, I’ll be more prepared.”

“Hey, I’m just glad I won’t have to eat a whole cake by myself. My tailor will be glad, too.” Tony chuckles before he smiles brightly. “Happy March 10th, Steve.”

“Happy March 10th, Tony.”

Steve leans in and kisses Tony, warm and sweet, and with seven years worth of love and passion in it. March 10th, 1971 may have just started, but Steve can hardly wait to kiss him like this again next year. 

And every single March 10th after that.


End file.
